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Variability in rat weight gain during development.

Pablo Vázquez-Borsetti
Published in: Laboratory animals (2024)
The rat is one of the most employed animal models in biomedicine. Traditionally, weight gain has been utilized to gauge development and compare across species. Numerous studies have conducted longitudinal analyses of rat development, with emphasis on weight gain analysis. Given the high variability in these patterns, experimental data from a single laboratory may not be reliable for generalized estimation. This study aimed to analyze the effect of different factors on the pattern of weight gain during rat development. A literature survey was conducted to compile a database comprising nearly 300 data points of age and weight from 15 longitudinal studies. The database comprised both pre- and postnatal data. Utilizing the Gompertz equation, the data was analyzed to formulate a comprehensive model describing rat development. Differences in growth patterns became increasingly evident at later developmental stages, when significant differences in the maximum asymptote between sexes and strains were reached.
Keyphrases
  • weight gain
  • body mass index
  • birth weight
  • electronic health record
  • weight loss
  • oxidative stress
  • big data
  • systematic review
  • escherichia coli
  • emergency department
  • preterm infants
  • physical activity
  • adverse drug